UNkulunkulu Ukhulula Abantwana Bakwa-Israyeli

KWAPHELA iminyaka eminingi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli behlala eGibhithe, bekhomba ngophakathi futhi banda. Nokho, kwaqala ukubusa omunye uFaro. Wayengamazi uJosefa. Lo mcindezeli ononya wethuswa ukwanda kwama-Israyeli, wayesewagqilaza futhi wakhipha umyalo wokuthi bonke abantwana bawo babafana baminziswe eMfuleni iNayile. Kodwa umama onesibindi waluvikela usana lwakhe, walufaka kubhasikidi walufihla phakathi komhlanga. Lo mntwana watholwa indodakazi kaFaro, yamqamba ngokuthi uMose, yamkhulisela ebukhosini baseGibhithe.

Lapho uMose eseneminyaka engu-40, wangena enkingeni ngesikhathi evikela isigqila esingumIsrayeli enduneni yaseGibhithe. UMose wabalekela ezweni elikude, wahlala khona njengomfokazi. Lapho eseneminyaka engu-80, uJehova wamphindisela emuva kuFaro eGibhithe ukuba ayomtshela ukuthi akakhulule abantu baKhe.

UFaro wala waphetha. Ngakho uNkulunkulu washaya abaseGibhithe ngezishayo eziyishumi. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho uMose eya kuFaro ukuze amnike ithuba lokugwema esinye isishayo, uFaro wayedaza inkani, edelela uMose noNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Ekugcineni, isishayo sokugcina sabulala wonke amazibulo akuleli zwe—ngaphandle kwamazibulo emikhaya eyalalela uJehova ngokubheca izinsika zeminyango yezindlu zayo ngegazi lewundlu elaliwumhlatshelo. Ingelosi kaNkulunkulu ebulalayo ayingenanga kulezo zindlu. Kamuva ama-Israyeli ayekhumbula lokho kukhululwa okuyisimangaliso ngokugubha umkhosi waminyaka yonke owawubizwa ngokuthi iPhasika.

Eseshonelwe indodana yakhe eyizibulo, uFaro wayala uMose nawo wonke ama-Israyeli ukuba baphume eGibhithe. Ngaso leso sikhathi isizwe sonke saFuduka kulelo zwe. Kodwa uFaro wabuye washintsha umqondo. Wawajaha nebutho lakhe elikhulu nezinqola zempi. Kwabonakala sengathi ama-Israyeli avaleleke ogwini loLwandle Olubomvu. UJehova wahlukanisa ulwandle phakathi, ama-Israyeli akwazi ukuhamba emhlabathini owomile, phakathi kwezindonga zamanzi olwandle! Lapho abaseGibhithe bethi bayawajaha, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba amanzi abuye ngamandla phezu kwabo, uFaro nebutho lakhe baminza.

Kamuva, njengoba ama-Israyeli ayekanise ngaseNtabeni iSinayi, uJehova wenza isivumelwano nawo. Esebenzisa uMose njengomlamuleli, uNkulunkulu wanikeza ama-Israyeli imithetho yokuwaqondisa nokuwavikela cishe kuzo zonke izici zokuphila. Uma nje ama-Israyeli ayezokwamukela ngokwethembeka ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu, uJehova wayezoba nawo futhi enze leso sizwe sibe isibusiso kwabanye.

Nokho, iningi lama-Israyeli lamdumaza uNkulunkulu ngoba alizange libonise ukholo kuye. Ngakho uJehova wenza leso sizukulwane ukuba sizulazule ehlane iminyaka engu-40. UMose wabe esemisa indoda eqotho, uJoshuwa, ukuba ibe umholi ngemva kwakhe. Ekugcineni, ama-Israyeli ayesekulungele ukungena ezweni uNkulunkulu ayelithembise u-Abrahama.

​—Isekelwe ku-Eksodusi; Levitikusi; Numeri; Duteronomi; IHubo 136:10-15; IzEnzo 7:17-36.